A valedictory function of a University Grants Commission (UGC)-sponsored refresher course of economics department of Patna University (PU) was held on Wednesday.
Presiding over the function, senior IAS officer-cum-scholar Manoj Kumar Srivastava said benefit of growth, which was supposed
to reach the poor, failed due to the vested interest of block-level officials and mukhiyas.

It should be stopped, he stressed. In his address, PU vicechancellor Shambhu Nath Singh highlighted that reforms had started in the country by mid-80s and its direction became very clear by 1991. He said that academicians should do sincere research into the benefits and drawbacks of these reforms.

Head of the economics department Rai Murari Krishna observed that the country was trapped in a welfare-subsidy fiscal deficit-stagnation cycle. We must come out of it and promote sustainable inclusive growth for the benefit of our present and future generations, he said. Professor of economics Bhagwan Prasad Singh, who is the course coordinator, gave a report of the course.

Director of PU academic staff college Prabha Shukla proposed a vote of thanks at the function, in which principals of PU colleges and senior PU teachers were also present.

JD Women's CollegeDepartment of economics, JD Womenfs College organised an essay competition on Food security in India on Wednesday, ahead of the World Food Day on October 16.

Around 69 students from BA and MA participated in the competition. The students were free to write in Hindi or English. Almost all the girls stressed that procuring food directly from the farmers and public distribution system would weed out middlemen and allow farmers to get incentives. gIt would also encourage farmers to enhance productivity, they wrote.

Head of the department Reeta Kumari Bhagat and teacher Meera Ranjan Lal coordinated the competition and judged the entries. MA (previous year) students Sarita Kumari, Shilpa Kumari and Jyoti Kumari bagged the first, second and third positions respectively. BA final year student Rimjhim and BA part-2 student Kiran were named eligible for consolation prizes.

The certificates would be distributed among the winners soon,h said Bhagat. COLLEGE OF COMMERCE Students of College of Commerce were explained the intricacies of Chhau dance performance by Chhau dancer Tarapada Rajak during a performance organised by Spic Macay at the college on Wednesday. Rajak, along with his team, staged the Mahisasura Mardan, or the slaying of the demon king Mahisasura by Goddess Durga.

Principal of the college Shailendra Kumar Singh welcomed Rajak and his troupe and said that the present generation was slowly getting detached from Indian culture.

He also observed that such events allowed students to learn about culture and contributed to their holistic development. Spic Macay Patna chapter secretary Maya Shankar handled the event. Professor VK Mangalam coordinated the stage proceedings, while Shailendra Kumar Choudhary proposed a vote of thanks.

Head of the Maithili department Virendra Jha will be committee coordinator-cum-editor, while university professor (Hindi) Tarun Kumar and social science associate professors Fazal Ahmad and Randhir Kumar Singh will be committee members.

Patna Women's CollegeA college-level research project presentation under the College with Potential for Excellence scheme of University Grants Commission organised at Patna Women's College (PWC) entered its second day on Wednesday. Students of geography, psychology, home science (UG and PG) and B Ed presented their papers on various topics.

Former vice-chancellor of Magadh University Shamshad Hussain, retired professor of geography department, Patna University VNP Sinha and head of the PG department of home science, Patna University Anju Srivastava judged the entries.

Krishna NiketanKrishna Niketan constituted a six-member studentsf team to participate in the CBSE Eastzone inter school taekwondo competition, which would be organised from October 14 to October 17 at Deoghar.

Kashish Kumari, Chelsea, Khushi Singh, Arya Srivastava, Aditi Anwesh and Lavanya have been selected to represent the school in different categories at the competition.

National judge JP Mehta selected the students. Asha Mehta and Jai Prakash Mehta have been selected as team coach and team manager, respectively.